Nathan Blake: "Cardiff City are just treading,under Russell

Cardiff City are just treading water under Russell Slade and face the real danger of missing out on top six spot


27 DEC 2015


BY NATHAN BLAKE


Cardiff are playing better, but have become too open... leading to continued inconsistency in results


You have to ask yourself are Cardiff City in a better place than they were a month or so ago?

And the answer to that has to be no, not really.

Previously the complaints were about how boring the football was under Russell Slade, how dull the whole thing was to watch.

The football is better to be sure, but the question is at what cost?

The Bluebirds are more adventurous, pushing forward more, starting to pass the ball about. But having been so hard to break down before, suddenly they are starting to leak goals like a sieve.

Slade's Cardiff are playing better, but they have become too open. And there is the conundrum for the manager.

The problem, of course, is that going forward they are just not good enough. City do not have the finishing power to say to other sides, ‘OK, if you score three, we will score four.’

That was more than evident in the deeply disappointing defeat to struggling MK Dons at the weekend.

Cardiff need to find some kind of balance. It is a word Slade uses a lot, the balance between pushing forward while remaining hard to break down at the back.

Cardiff manager Russell Slade looks downcast


It is well and good Slade talking about needing that and identifying the problem. But right at this moment the Bluebirds boss seems unable to actually find a way of instilling it in his side.

There is not much point in going game to game with the same weaknesses and then coming out afterwards making the same excuses. The same things are being said with no remedy being found.

The upshot of the situation is that the Bluebirds are just so inconsistent. It’s as I have said already about Cardiff this season, just when you think they might have turned a corner the same problems arise again. One step forward and two back indeed.


Consistency is the key to success for a side and the Bluebirds look nowhere near like achieving it.

It is something that has plagued Slade since the very moment he took charge. I remember when they were doing fine at home last season, but could not win away, the principle is the same today.

I guess playing good football does come at a price unless Slade can find the balance that he has been saying a lot recently.

IF we lose against forest do you think tan will be considering slades p45?

IF we lose against forest do you think tan will be considering slades p45?

No.

I don't understand though. I hear we play so well in the first half but f**k it up in the second half. Can he not cope with pressure? Is he yet another bottler?

Surely in the dressing room you just say, "carry on playing the way you are you're doing great"?

IF we lose against forest do you think tan will be considering slades p45?

No.

thanks.

IF we lose against forest do you think tan will be considering slades p45?

No.

thanks.

Sorry.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lbBzK7OXE4A

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lbBzK7OXE4A

I'm not getting wrapped up in that caper again.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lbBzK7OXE4A

I'm not getting wrapped up in that caper again.

:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lbBzK7OXE4A

I'm not getting wrapped up in that caper again.

:

I'm knocking it on the head.

The problem is i think Slade is listening to the critics, just like the Mike Bassett football manager he is.

Move Ralls inside, drop Whitts, drop noone, attack, all out attack, too many goals from set plays. He'll probably recall Adeyemi next....

Apart from four teams at the top and a few down the bottom this league is much of muchness, where fine margins make a difference. Our problem is the other 22 managers know how we are going to set up and what adjustments we'll make if they change things (NONE !!!)

We are treading water, but was that really the plan. I just don't think he'll go, just so Tan can say he not a hire and fire owner

The problem is i think Slade is listening to the critics, just like the Mike Bassett football manager he is.

Move Ralls inside, drop Whitts, drop noone, attack, all out attack, too many goals from set plays. He'll probably recall Adeyemi next....

Apart from four teams at the top and a few down the bottom this league is much of muchness, where fine margins make a difference. Our problem is the other 22 managers know how we are going to set up and what adjustments we'll make if they change things (NONE !!!)

We are treading water, but was that really the plan. I just don't think he'll go, just so Tan can say he not a hire and fire owner

Can only be a good thing Slade listening to us we know whats best.

IF we lose against forest do you think tan will be considering slades p45?

Yes I do lose against forest Bellamy becomes our next manager it's been on the cards for over a month but slade always pulls a result out we all know it's only a matter of time sooner the better atmosphere will be back 5 more thousand will go through the turnstiles

He won't go until the end of the season as that's when his contract expires

There no talk of a new deal yet which to me says tan will just say thanks you've done what was asked but now it's time to move on

Or at least that's what I hope will happen

Think the guy deserves some gratitude for the tough situation he took over but you've done all you can thanks very much time for us to part ways